THE FAR EAST

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21207, 2 September 1940, Page 9

THE FAR EAST

DRAFT TREATY DRAWN UP JAPAN AND “PUPPETS” PLANS FOR INDO-CHINA (United Press Assn.—>Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, August 31 The Nanking correspondent of the Japanese Domei news agency reports that the leader of the Chinese puppet Government, Wang Chingwei, and General Abe, have formally acknowledged the termination of treaty negotiations. The councillor to the Japanese Embassy, Mr Tohiichi Matsumoto, will fly to Tokio on Sunday to present the draft treaty for approval. It is said that the treaty is based on the three principles enunciated by the Japanese Prime Minister, Prince Konoye, in his recent statement—good neighbourliness, joint defence against Communism and economic co-operation. The treaty is to be initialled early in September and signed early in October, after which Japan’s formal recognition of the Nanking regime will be quickly followed by recognition on the part of Italy and other signatories to the anti-Comintern Pact. Inspection by Germans Chinese reports from Kunming state that several German military and financial experts are expected at Kunming shortly en route for an inspection tour of Indo-China for the purpose of accurately assessing the potentialities of the colony. Concurrently the president of the Bank of Indo-China is arranging for Germany to prevent a Japanese infiltration. French sources in Indo-China state that Italian military experts and an economist are also expected at Kunming. The Italian-German mission constitutes a sub-committee of the Italian-German armistice commission.

The Japanese have closed the Pearl River entrance at Canton, presumably to screen troops going from Formosa to Canton.